Foot brake for railway cars



Dec. 10, 1929. o. w. LANCASTER 1,739,365

FOOT BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed April 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTO R N EY 1929- o. w. LANCASTER FOOT BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed April 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTOR N EY Patented Dec. 19, 15929 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOT BRAKE FOR RAILV AY CARS Application filed April '30,

This invention relates to brakes for railway cars, the general object of the invention being to provide means for actuating the brakes of a car from the sides of the car adjacent the steps thereof so that it is not necessary for the brakeman to climb upon the top of the car to actuate the brakes.

Another object of he invention is to so arrange the parts of the invention that they can be easily applied to the brake means of a car without changing such means and without interfering with the brake applying means already on the car.

lis invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawwherein like characters denote like or corresponding partsthrou 'hout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a side view of a freight car, showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the parts at one end of car, with parts of the car shown in dotted lines, and with the floor removed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one end of the rod 1, showing how the spring and the means for connecting the rod with the brake red are arranged thereon.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing how the rod 8 is associated with the bracket and the bent end of the rod 14 engages the rod 8 to move the same from a notch in the bracket.

In these views, 1 indicates a rock shaft which is supported from the bottom of a car by means of the brackets 2 and which has its inner end bent, as shown at 3, and this bent end is connected by the flexible means 4; with the forked end of the main brake rod 5 of the car and a spring 6 is connected with this bent end and with a stationary part of the 1327. Serial No. 187,856.

car, as shown at 7. This spring acts to hold the shaft with the brakes in off position. The flexible means 4 consists of a chain having one end connected with the bent end of the shaft and a clevis l'on the other end of the chain, this clevis engaging the forked end of the rod 5.

A rod 8 is pivotally connected with the outer end of the shaft 1, which is also bent at an angle, as shown at 9, and thisrod 8 eX- tends outwardly at an angle toward the end of the car with its outer end projecting beyond the side of the car to form a foot pedal 10. A U-shaped bracket 11 depends from the car adjacent the pedal part of the rod and has a vertical row of notches 12 in the inner edge of its inner limb to receive the rod to hold it in adjusted position said rod passing between the limbs, as shown. This rod is arranged adjacent the step 13 of the car. It will, of course, be understood that a similar arrangement is placed at the other end of the car, though the rod 8 extends from the opposite side of the car.

A shaft 1a extends transversely under the bottom of the car at each end thereof and is supported from the bottom of the car by the brackets 15. One end of this shaft is bent to form a part 16 for engaging the rod 8 and the opposite end is bent to form a foot or hand lever 17 which is arranged adjacent the side of the car so that by rocking this shaft 1% by the part 17, the part 16 will engage the rod 8 and move it out of one of the notches 12 in the bracket 11 and thus permit the spring 6 to operate the parts to return the rod 8 to its uppermost position with the brakes in off position. As will be seen, the rod 8 extends at an angle and the bent part 16 of the rod 14, when said rod 14 is rocked, will engage the inner edge of the rod 8 and force it outwardly so as to release said rod 8 from the notch of the part 11 which it engages, this action being somewhat similar to a cam action.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the brakes are to be applied, it is simply necessary for the brakeman to depress the rod 8 either by the use of his hand or his foot on the part 10 of said rod, and this movement of the rod 8 will rock the shaft 1 against the action of the spring 6 and move the rod 5 and the parts attached thereto to apply the brakes. By placing the rod 8 in a notch of the bracket 11, the parts will be held with the brakes applied. Then when the brakes are to be released, the brakeman can do so by either moving the rod 8 to releasing position or by rocking the shaft 14; through means of the part 17 to cause its part 16 to move the rod 8 to releasing position.

WVith this invention, the brakeman can manipulate the brakes from the side of the car so that it is not necessary for him to climb to the top of the car, which is very dangerous, and as the rod 8 is on the right hand side of the car, he can manipulate the brakes from the engineers side of the train, which is customary in switching. He can operate the rod 8 while standing on the step 13 or while standing alongside the car.

As will be seen, the invention is composed of parts which can be produced in a railroad sho and which can be quickly and easily assem bled on a car without changing the braking mechanism thereof and without interfering with the mechanism already on the car.

It is thought .from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to beunderstood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination andarrangementof the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is In combination with a railway car and its braking mechanism, a rock shaft supported from the bottom of the car, and having both ends-bent, flexible means for connecting the inner bent end with the main brake rod of the car, a spring connected with this bent end and to a part of the car, said spring holding the parts with the brakes in off position, a rod connected with the other bent end of the shaft, a bracket fastened to the under side of the car adjacent the side thereof for slidingly supporting the rod with its outer end extending beyond the side of the car, said bracket having notches therein for receiving the rod to hold it in adjusted position, a second rock shaft supported from the bottom of the car and having one end bent to engage the rod and its other bent end to form a handle, the handle being adjacent the side of the car, the second shaft, when rocked, actingto release the rod from a notch in the bracket.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ORVILLE WVRIGHT LANCASTER. 

